It was not so long ago when the ocean’s bounty seemed endless. However, fish stocks are in danger – pollution, global warming and overfishing have done severe damage to fish populations. This exploitation is unsustainable. If humans continue with our current eating patterns, seafood stock will be decimated to extinction. However, this does not mean you have to give up the deliciousness that is seafood – you just have to be a little smarter about it.

The Grim Picture

According to GreenFacts, fish consumption has been increasingly steadily since the 1960s. From an average of 9.9kg, this has risen to 16.4kg per capita in 2005. China, especially, has been a huge market for seafood. In 2005, Chinese fish consumption was about 26.1kg per capita. It’s obvious that wild fish populations cannot support this level of consumption.

According to National Geographic, 70% of the world’s fisheries have been exploited, overexploited, or have already suffered a collapse. GreenFacts tells us that over half of all monitored fish stocks are now fully exploited, meaning they are producing catches close to their sustainable limits with no room for further expansion. Over a quarter are overexploited, depleted, or slowly recovering. The remaining are either under or moderately exploited. So, the seeming viable solution to overexploitation is to farm rather than catch from the wild, right? However, aquaculture presents its own difficulties. It’s difficult to prevent the spread of disease, and pollution from fish farms can affect the sea life present in the waters surrounding the farms.

All is Not Lost

There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it need not necessarily be an oncoming train. Remember, a quarter of monitored fish stocks are under or moderately exploited. So if we as consumers shift demand from overexploited species to underexploited ones, fish stocks can have a chance to recover and we don’t have to give up one of the primary sources of nutritious food. How do we do that? It’s very simple. Stop eating endangered fishes, and choose sustainable seafood instead. Here is a basic guide to sustainable seafood choices you can make in Singapore, taken from www.picktherightcatch.sg:

Red (Avoid Eating)

Yellow (Good Alternatives to Red)

Green (Best Choices)

Let Others Make the Choice for You

If the types of seafood listed above made your head spin, no worries. You can just head to a restaurant that has pledged to only use sustainable seafood and let them worry about the source of their fish. Here are some of our favourites:

Standing Sushi Bar

8 Queen Street
#01-03 Singapore Art Museum
Singapore 188535

Tel: +65 6333 1335

Operating Hours:

Open Daily
Lunch: 12 PM - 2:30 PM, last order 2:00 PM
Dinner: 6 PM - 10:30 PM, last order 10:00 PM
Weekends (all day): 12 PM - 10:30 PM, last order 10:00 PM

Nearest MRT: Bras Basah

SuperTree by IndoChine

18 Marina Gardens Drive, Gardens by the Bay, #03-01
Singapore 018953

Tel: +65 6694 8489

Opening Hours:
Sundays to Thursdays: 10am to 12pm (Drinks)
12pm to 1am (Meals and drinks)
Fridays to Saturdays: 10am to 12pm (Drinks)
12pm to 2am (Meals and drinks)

Nearest MRT: Bayfront

The Disgruntled Chef

26b Dempsey Road
Singapore 247693

Tel: +65 6476 5305

Opening Hours:

Tuesdays to Thursdays: Lunch 12pm - 2:30pm / Dinner 6pm - 10:30pm
Fridays & Saturdays: Lunch 12pm - 2:30pm / Dinner 6pm - 11:30pm
Sundays: Lunch 12pm - 4:30pm / Dinner 6pm - 10:30pm
Brunch menu available on Saturdays & Sundays
Closed on Mondays

Golden Peony

Two Temasek Boulevard
Singapore 038982

Tel: +65 6432 7482

Opening Hours:

Mondays to Saturdays: Lunch 11.30am - 2.30pm / Dinner 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Sundays: Lunch 10.30am - 2.30pm / Dinner 6.30pm - 10.30pm

Nearest MRT: Promenade

For more restaurant choices, visit picktherightcatch.sg.